Houston Rockets: Chris Bosh Emerging As Potential ‘Big Third’

The Houston Rockets are reportedly turning up the heat in their pursuit of free-agent forward Chris Bosh.

ESPN.com is reporting that the Rockets are “heavily engaged” in trying to sway the nine-time All-Star that teaming up with Dwight Howard and James Harden in southeast Texas is a viable alternative to his partnership with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade on South Beach.

Bosh, 30, is attractive to Houston for a number of reasons—not the least of which was his emergence in 2013-14 as a legitimate stretch-4 type of player.

Bosh took 218 3-pointers for the Miami Heat last season, almost triple his previous career high of 74 from the previous season, and knocked down a respectable 33.9 percent.

With Bosh’s free-throw attempts per game down from 8.6 as a Toronto Raptor in 2006-07 to a career-low 3.4 last season, it appears Bosh would be content to slide into the corners and look for kickout opportunities from Howard and Harden.

For all of the criticism Bosh has received since opting to sign with Miami in 2010, he still averaged 16.2 points per game last season—a pretty solid average for a No. 3 option—and shot 51.6 percent despite the increasing quick trigger on the 3-ball.

The Rockets made a pitch to the agent for LeBron James and had Carmelo Anthony in for a visit, but Houston is reportedly pushing harder on Bosh in the hope that James will decide to depart South Beach.

Bosh’s first choice is reportedly to remain in Miami with James and Wade. But as James’ agent has taken meetings with several other teams, Bosh has been exploring his own options, according to the report.

Houston already traded Omer Asik to the New Orleans Pelicans and have explored moving Jeremy Lin to a number of teams in an effort to free up space under the salary cap to add a premier free agent.

A max deal for Bosh would be four years and roughly $86 million.